Cold Atom group seminars:

MUARC colloquium:

26 Jun 2014

Tilman Pfau (Stuttgart)

16 Jan 2015

Wolfgang Ertmer (Hannover)

The "ultracold" part of the Midlands Physics Alliance targets
cutting-edge interdisciplinary research at the rapidly evolving interface
between cold atom, condensed matter, and optical physics. It joins more than
15 research groups in theoretical and experimental cold atom physics in a
strategic partnership between the Universities of Birmingham, Nottingham, and
Warwick. more...

Latest news

The iSense movie is out!

iSense is a European project aiming to develop quantum technologies based on
cold atoms. With the project nearing completion, this documentary explores the motivations
behind the development of quantum technologies, looks back at the progress
accomplished, and dives into the future of cold-atom quantum technologies.

On the BBC: GGtop archaeologists realise best mapping ever of Stonehenge

In a documentary to be aired on the BBC, an international team of
archaeologists, including Prof. Vince Gaffney's group from the
University of Birmingham, present their latest findings about the
hidden landscape of Stonehenge. Using the latest surveying technologies, the
team was able to reveal what lies beneath the surface and discover and map
many previously unknown monuments. Vince is also part of
the GGtop project and is seeking to develop gravimetry as an additional method of
mapping the underground. If you look closely in the background of this
video clip, you can see the GGtop team performing the first gravity
measurement within the Stonehenge landscape!

Published: Bloch oscillations of cold atoms in a ring cavity

Our theoretical work on the backaction-driven dynamics of cold atoms in
a high-finesse ring cavity has been published in Physical Review Letters
[PRL, arXiv]. A constant force applied to an object usually leads to a
constant acceleration and ultimately to a displacement. However since
the work of Felix Bloch in the 20s, we know that low-energy particles
placed in a periodic potential and subject to an additional constant
force oscillate instead of propagating. We have considered the case
where the potential is created by laser light in a high-finesse optical
cavity and the particles are cold atoms strongly coupled to the light.
We have shown that the oscillations of the atoms alter the propagation of
the light and modify the potential in such a way that for the right
choice of parameters a net displacement occurs. The transport speed and
direction can be controlled via the detuning between the laser and the
cavity. Our results add to the cold atoms quantum simulation toolbox,
with implications for quantum sensing and metrology.

From the lab: collective strong coupling of potassium atoms in a ring cavity

We have achieved collective strong coupling of atoms and light in a
high-finesse ring cavity. This is observed as a splitting of the cavity
transmission spectrum in the presence of atoms, known as the vacuum Rabi or
normal-mode splitting. Normal-mode splitting is observed when coherent coupling
overwhelms damping and dephasing. We will use techniques from quantum nonlinear
optics to build a novel laser sensor with cold atoms as the gain medium.

The blue data show the spectrum for an empty cavity, and
red data show the effect of the presence of some 10s of thousands of cold
potassium atoms.

Quantum technology transfer between MUARC and M Squared Lasers

A Knowledge Transfer Secondment has been established between MUARC and the
company M Squared Lasers in Glasgow. Starting from September, Komal Pahwa, a PhD
student of MUARC, is helping M Squared to develop laser and electronic systems
for cold-atom-based sensors. The partnership will lead to a new generation
of commercial quantum sensors.

Dr Nils Hempler, head of Innovation, Dr Graeme Malcolm, CEO, and Komal
Pahwa in front of the first cold atom set-up in a UK company.

Prof. Chris Rogers on GGtop and future cities

In this interview Prof. Chris Rogers, leader of Mapping the Underworld
project, explains the crucial role that gravity-mapping technologies such as
GGtop will play in the design of tomorrow's cities. By promoting
unprecedented collaboration between quantum scientists and civil engineers,
the GGtop project develops some of the tools that will facilitate the
creation of more sustainable urban environments.

Quantum technologies on display at ICT 2013

The iSense and GGtop projects, both led by MUARC, were showcased at the ICT
2013 conference in Vilnius, 6-8 November 2013. The cold atom demonstrator
drew crowds as the information and communication technology community was
keen to learn about laser cooling and how the use of matterwaves can make
better sensors. This was a great way to show that cold atoms are not confined
to laboratories any more and that the technology is ready to be used in the
field.

Visitors of ICT 2013 gather around the iSense cold atom demonstrator
to check the "coolest place in Vilnius."

First cold atoms in iSense

The iSense team in Birmingham reports on the creation of a magneto-optical trap
(MOT) of Rubidium atoms using a low power atom chip designed and built at the
University of
Nottingham. This is the first step towards creating a compact gravity
measurement device.

The atoms are trapped in a mirror MOT configuration using four laser beams, two
of which are reflected from the chip surface. The magnetic fields are generated
inside the chamber by the chip assembly.

In the next stage we will integrate compact lasers and electronics from our
European partners. Upon completion, iSense will produce atom interferometry
signals to measure gravity in the field.

MPAGS Summer School (Sept 2013)

For the second time, the Midlands Physics Alliance Graduate School (MPAGS), in
collaboration with the University of Granada, is organizing a summer school that
will be held in Granada, Spain, 15-19 September 2013.

Bose-Einstein condensation of Rubidium

The team of the "disorder" experiment has achieved the Bose-Einstein
condensation of Rubidium in their combined-species Rubidium-Potassium
apparatus. The condensate was obtained after magnetically transporting a cloud
of laser-cooled atoms in a science cell, and performing evaporative cooling
first in the magnetic trap and then in a light dipole trap. The pictures below
show the anisotropic expansion of the condensate. The thermal cloud, seen as a
halo, expands isotropically.

Next steps will be to include fermionic Potassium and to study the combined
dynamics in arbitrary two-dimensional potentials.

Absorption images of the condensate after increasing expansion times.

GG-TOP takes on mineral exploration

In the last issue of InnovOil, GG-TOP leader Kai Bongs explains the prospects and
benefits of gravity gradient mapping with cold atom technology.

Young Atom Opticans conference in Birmingham (YAO 2013)

8th April 2013 to 12th April 2013

YAO is a yearly conference whose main goal is to create an international
society of young scientists who specialize in quantum optics with a special
focus on cold atomic gases. During these meetings experimentalists as well as
theorists have a chance to present their research and results while also taking
part in thought provoking discussions on their topics, whether it be in the
form of a short presentation or a poster during the poster session. The
participants of this conference are usually young doctoral students, but the
conference is also open to masters students or really any young scientist who
are beginning their work in the field of atomic physics. Apply here before
Friday 22 February 2013.

Achievement of Bose-Fermi mixtures in a magneto-optical trap

In the context of the Quantum Simulator project, the first magneto-optical trap
for rubidium and potassium in the Quantum Matter group has beeen realised. The
atoms are first trapped in a 2-dimensional magneto-optical trap to create a
cold atom beam and then transferred by a pushing beam into another vacuum
chamber where both species are retrapped by a six beam magneto-optical trap.

Fluorescence image of a Potassium 40 magneto-optical trap.

Published: potassium spectroscopies for laser frequency stabilization

Our work on sub-Doppler polarization spectroscopy and magnetic dichroism (ie,
DAVLL) of potassium has been published in Optics Express [Opt. Exp. 20, 17456
(2012), arXiv:1205.0459]. The focus is on frequency-stabilizing lasers for
experiments with cold atoms. This is a companion piece to our earlier work
using modulation spectroscopy [J. Phys. B 45, 065002 (2012),
arXiv:112.4998]. We plan to use our modified form of
magnetically-induced dichroism in our experiment with cold atoms in a
high-finesse ring cavity.

First 2D- and 3D-MOT with Strontium achieved! (June 2012)

Magneto-optical traps (MOT) in a high vacuum environment require a bright
source of pre-cooled atoms. For Strontium, the standard technology is an
atomic beam slowed down by laser from a hot oven. For the Strontium clock at
Birmingham, we have implemented an alternative technology, borrowed from
experiments which use alkaline atoms: a 2-dimensional magneto-optical trap
which produces a stream of collimated atoms at one end of the trap. The
magnetic quadrupole field is produced by permanent magnets, in a bid to reduce
power consumption and increase portability.

Magnetic field of the 2D MOT (left) and fluorescent of the 3D MOT (right).

MUARC and MPAGS Summer School (Sept 2011)

The MUARC & MPAGS summer school on Quantum Matter: Foundations and New Trends
will take place this year in
Granada, Spain, on 18-22 September 2011. The school will provide a basis for
new members of the community and deepen the knowledge of more experienced ones
in the areas of quantum gases, quantum optics and condensed matter physics.
Registration opens 31st March.

PhD positions now open in Birmingham

We have positions to work on two exciting European projects, the "space optical
clock" and the "integrated quantum sensor". More details on our jobs section.

MUARC Summer School (August 2010)

The MUARC summer school on Advanced Techniques in Atomic Physics will take
place in Ardencote, near Birmingham, UK, on 22-27 August 2010. The school is
intended to enable advanced graduate students or early post-docs to target the
next step in their career. Registration is now open.

MUARC/MAPGS winter school (Dec 2009)

The joint MUARC/MPAGS winter school for advanced undergraduates and starting
graduate students was held at the University of Nottingham on 13-15th
December. The programme covered a broad range of topics currently investigated
at MUARC such as quantum optics, quantum simulations with Rydberg atoms, atom
chips, and quantum gases in optical lattices.

The next school will be held in August 2010 and will target advanced
postgraduate students and young researchers.

Two new lecturers to join the Midlands Ultracold Atom Research Centre (1 Aug 2009)

Lucia Hackermüller and Jon Goldwin are joining MUARC. Lucia will be a Lecturer
at the University of Nottingham and will study Lithium-Caesium cold molecules
on an atom chip. Jon will be a Lecturer at the University of Birmingham and
will study the interaction of ultracold fermionic Potassium with a single
quantum optical field in a high-finesse cavity.

Openlab party at Birmingham (26 March 2009)

The openlab party celebrated the end of the refurbishment of the Cold Atom
labs in Birmingham.